Wasted $200 on a mortar mixer that couldn't handle a basic mix

Bought this flashy electric mixer last spring thinking it'd speed up my small jobs. First real batch of type N mortar and the motor started smoking after 15 minutes. The guy at the rental place told me later those cheap units are meant for light stucco work, not proper bricklaying. Anyone else get burned by a tool that looked good but couldn't do the actual job?

2 comments

2 Comments

ben_ross511mo ago

Bought a used mortar mixer that looked like it survived a war zone, figured it'd be a steal. First load of high-early strength mix and the drum literally fell off the frame mid-pour. Ended up finishing that job by hand with a wheelbarrow and a shovel. Guess I saved myself a trip to the gym that week.

andrew_rodriguez1mo ago

Man, that's rough! I bet if you had checked the PTO shaft alignment you would have caught the stress points before they gave out, @ben_ross51. Those old machines can be real deceptive when they look beat up but still have one good weld holding everything together.